


Push, Pull

by severity_softly



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: M/M, omg will these boys just kiss already?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 05:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5697175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/severity_softly/pseuds/severity_softly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for spinningcompass, who requested "Hotch/Reid, At last there is nothing left to say". Originally published December 2008.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Push, Pull

They'd danced around the topic for months.

In October, it had been, "Cup of coffee?" and Spencer had nodded. Aaron had made sure their fingers brushed when he handed it over, with four packs of sugar and a stir stick, all the while telling himself this was the worst thing he could have been considering.

A few weeks after that, on Thanksgiving, Spencer had brought pumpkin pie to work. Just two slices. They were the only ones on the team not going home for the holiday. They'd eaten the pie in Aaron's office while Spencer explained the history of Reddi-whip, which he'd sprayed on their dessert, and Aaron tried to convince himself the pie was just a friendly gesture. 

Later, because Aaron didn't want to spend another holiday at the office, it was, "Are you doing anything for Christmas?" and Spencer shook his head, a brilliant smile blooming on his face--one that didn't grace his features nearly enough, Aaron noticed--when Aaron invited him over because Haley had Jack, and he was alone too. Aaron pretended it had nothing to do with wanting to watch the soft, flickering light from his fireplace play across Spencer's face.

Another week, and Spencer was leaning against him in the empty kitchen of Prentiss' house, obviously too tipsy to keep pretending, as Aaron poured champagne and finally realized that resistance was futile. 

"The ball's about to drop," Spencer whispered. "I have no one to kiss."

Oh, Aaron had _wanted_ to give in, right there, right then, but Dave would have come looking for them when the countdown started, and he couldn't kiss Spencer in front of everyone.

Spencer got drunk on champagne after frowning all through the countdown, and Aaron hadn't been able to help feeling responsible.

The next day, Spencer called Aaron unexpectedly. It was early, and Aaron was lying in bed in his boxers.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Terrible," Spencer croaked.

"Drink lots of water," Aaron instructed.

"I know." The line was silent for a long time, and then Spencer murmured, "I'm sorry... if I was out of line last night..."

Aaron swallowed hard, and didn't say anything for what felt like too long. "You weren't," he managed finally, and he heard Spencer expel a breath he'd been holding. "Are you well enough to eat?"

"Ah..." Spencer laughed a sickly laugh. "Maybe dinner. Not... right now."

Aaron smiled. "Come over for dinner, then."

***

It was eight o'clock when Spencer showed up at Aaron's doorstep, and he looked nervous when he came inside. They both knew what this was, and even Aaron couldn't deny to himself that he was nervous too. He really shouldn't be doing this at all, not with a member of his team. But it seemed completely unavoidable.

"Smells good," Spencer said of the roast cooking in the kitchen, and smiled.

"It's the first person you kiss after midnight, isn't it?" Aaron said, abruptly, though his voice was gentle. Spencer looked confused all of a sudden, so Aaron went on, "Doesn't have to be midnight on the dot, does it? Is twenty hours later too late?"

Aaron saw Spencer's Adam's apple bob when he swallowed. He looked hopeful, and overwhelmed, and speechless, which Aaron supposed was actually the case because Spencer just shook his head.

Aaron suddenly couldn't find any words, either, as he looked into Spencer's warm brown eyes, so he did the only thing he could think to do, the thing he'd been wanting to do for months. He wrapped his arms around Spencer and kissed him, and then it didn't matter that words had failed them both; Aaron didn't think anything they could say would have compared to how it felt to finally have something he'd wanted so long wrapped up in his arms.


End file.
